Pakistan pacer appointed as new ODI captain
Pakistan have named a new ODI captain, taking over the reins from Mohammad Rizwan.
Pakistan pacer Shaheen Afridi has been appointed as the new ODI captain, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced in their statement on Monday, 20 October.
The left-arm pacer will lead Pakistan in his first assignment when they take on South Africa in a three-match ODI series beginning on 4 November.
At just 25 years old, Shaheen already boasts an impressive record in the 50-over format. Since making his debut in 2018, he has represented Pakistan in 66 ODIs, claiming 131 wickets at an average of 24.28. Over the years, he has cemented his place as Pakistan’s frontline pacer.
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Shaheen last captained Pakistan in early 2024, leading the T20I side in a five-match home series against New Zealand that ended level at 2-2.
The decision to replace Rizwan and appoint Afridi as captain was made following a meeting attended by white-ball head coach Mike Hesson, Director of High Performance Aqib Javed and members of the national selection committee in Islamabad.
Mohammad Rizwan took over as Pakistan’s white-ball captain in October 2024 and marked the beginning with immediate success, leading Pakistan to a historic ODI series victory over Australia, their first bilateral series win on Australian soil in 22 years.
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The success continued with an impressive 3-0 sweep against South Africa in their own backyard, followed by a 2-1 series win over Zimbabwe, cementing Rizwan’s strong start as skipper.
However, in early 2025, Pakistan suffered a setback with a tri-series loss at home to New Zealand, followed by the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 where the team failed to progress past the group stage, finishing bottom of a pool featuring New Zealand, India and Bangladesh.
The struggles continued on their next ODI tour to New Zealand, where Pakistan were whitewashed 3-0. Rizwan’s final series as captain came against the West Indies, where despite winning the opening match, Pakistan succumbed to a 2-1 series defeat.
The final game saw Pakistan bowled out for just 92 runs, suffering a massive 202-run loss, a result that ultimately marked the end of Rizwan’s tenure as captain.